The Vancouver Whitecaps say theyB次元官网网址檝e learned from their mistakes ahead of a do-or-die home playoff game against Los Angeles F.C. on Sunday.

Head coach Vanni Sartini said his team has analyzed its mistakes in the 5-2 loss against LAFC last week, including allowing Golden Boot Award-winner Dennis Bouanga time and space to bury his chance past goalkeeper Yohei Takaoka.

B次元官网网址淵ou pay very, very, very immediately for the mistakes you do in the playoffs,B次元官网网址� Sartini said. B次元官网网址淵ou canB次元官网网址檛 allow mistakes because their best players will score.B次元官网网址�

Vancouver was undone four times by goals off of set pieces in the loss, and Sartini said there has been an added focus on the training pitch to address the issue.

B次元官网网址淭he first thing to be better at something is to work on the origin of something,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚f you concede 12 (corner kicks) in a game, the odds of conceding at least one goal B次元官网网址� are high.

B次元官网网址淭he main thing first is to try to be better at defending.B次元官网网址�

He added that his team have benefited from an extra day of training due to the game being on Sunday instead of the normal Saturday.

Captain Ryan Gauld said he and his teammates are taking the bigger picture view when it comes to their opponents, having beaten them in the league in June and drawn against them to end the regular season.

The Whitecaps are unbeaten in their last five home games against LAFC, with four of those coming as wins before the season-ending draw.

B次元官网网址淲e matched them in the first half, (we were) arguably the better team in the first half,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淭here was a confident feeling at half time that we were capable of going out and winning the game, unfortunately they came out a little bit stronger than us in the second half and we werenB次元官网网址檛 able to recover from 3-2 down.B次元官网网址�

Gauld agreed with the assessment that the Whitecaps struggled defending set pieces against the team ranked third in the Western Conference, but added that no large-scale overhaul was needed.

B次元官网网址淲e might have to tweak a couple things here or there, but I think over the majority of the season weB次元官网网址檝e been all right in defending set pieces,B次元官网网址� he said. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 more of just being a little bit more aggressive in the box and we should be good.B次元官网网址�

The best-of-three playoff series is new this season after the league previously used a single-game elimination format in previous years. The aggregate scores from games do not factor into whether a team advances.

Canadian international Junior Hoilett said he and his teammates have nothing to fear against their opponents.

B次元官网网址淛ust remain calm. Do what you know to do,B次元官网网址� he said when asked about advice heB次元官网网址檇 give to younger players in the squad. B次元官网网址淒onB次元官网网址檛 change, donB次元官网网址檛 go out there and change what youB次元官网网址檙e good at. Stick to what you know and play with your head held high. ThereB次元官网网址檚 nothing that we have to go out there and prove. We just go play our game and bring it to them.B次元官网网址�

Sartini agreed, adding that his players need to stay focused over the entirety of the match.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 not a matter of starts, itB次元官网网址檚 a matter of keeping the quality for 90 mins,B次元官网网址� he said.

The Whitecaps announced Wednesday that fans would be able to purchase tickets in the upper bowl of B.C. Place, increasing the stadiumB次元官网网址檚 normal Major League Soccer capacity.

In the final home game of the season, Vancouver had a crowd of 24,311 against LAFC and sporting director Axel Schuster said the club hopes to hit similar attendance figures.

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